Next-Generation Flow Cytometry Instrument Broadens Analysis in Life Science Research

19 May 2014
Sarah Thomas
Associate Editor

Product News

Life Technologies Attune NxT Acoustic Focusing Cytometer expands capabilities, features modular design to fit any lab’s budget and research.

Life science researchers who want to broaden their cell analysis capabilities can now employ a next-generation flow cytometer with a modular design that allows them greater flexibility in applications ranging from biomarker discovery to cancer research.

The new Life Technologies Attune NxT Acoustic Focusing Cytometer is being launched today at the Congress of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (CYTO) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Previously, researchers using conventional instruments had to sacrifice precision and speed, limiting the scope of many research applications. The Attune NxT circumvents these hurdles by using a proprietary acoustic focusing technology to increase detection sensitivity and throughput. It can also be easily configured to run with one to four lasers, enabling it to detect up to 14 colors in a sample and to scale with the changing research needs and budgetary demands of any lab.

“The high sample rates of the Attune allows me to reduce centrifugation steps so that we retain more cells and more rapidly detect rare events,” said Professor David Cousins, department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester. “We could not have performed these studies with any other instrument.”

The Attune NxT Acoustic Focusing Cytometer builds on the success of the first generation Attune instrument introduced in 2010. Like its predecessor, the Attune NxT uses sound waves, as opposed to hydrodynamics, to focus cells past the laser detection system for analysis. Acoustic focusing enables higher control of the cells as they pass through the interrogation point, resulting in more intense (faster and more precise) sample interrogation capabilities.

“With the launch of the Attune NxT our goal is to make these advanced technologies accessible to all customers, independent of funding or experience levels, so they can be applied in new ways to help accelerate research and discovery,” said Brett Williams, vice president and general manager, Cell Analysis, at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Attune NxT Acoustic Focusing Cytometer is for research use only, not intended for diagnostic purposes.

Invitrogen™ Attune™ NxT Flow Cytometer

Thermo Fisher Scientific

The Invitrogen™ Attune™ NxT flow cytometer can be designed to accommodate the most common fluorophores and fluorescent proteins used in flow cytometry to match the panels you are currently running. Multiple fluorescent proteins can be detected with an optional 561 nm laser. Whether you configure your system now or upgrade later, the Attune NxT flow cytometer can grow with you and your research needs. The Attune NxT flow cytometer, designed using acoustic-assisted hydrodynamic focusing, achieves sample-throughput rates of of 12.5 µL/min–1 mL/min or 12.5–1,000 µL/min—up to 10 times faster than traditional hydrodynamic focusing systems and data acquisition speeds of 35,000 events/sec. Acoustic focusing allows significantly higher sample rates, which simplifies sample preparation, reduces protocol times, and minimizes cell loss. This feature is useful for no wash, no lyse immunophenotyping protocols using whole blood and for samples that are inherently low in concentration, including cerebrospinal fluid and stem cell preparations. Your next result relies on the ability of your experimental design and your instrument to deliver more—more data, more detail, and more throughput. The Attune NxT flow cytometer was designed to meet the demands of more complex experiments, offering reliable data, day after day, in a grow-with-you system.   Features & Benefits: Modular design—Multiple configurations available—field upgradable. Save time—10X faster speeds with no loss in data quality. Simplified sample prep—No wash, no lyse options, non-clogging fluidics. Enables unique applications—Complex protocols on a broad range of cell types and samples.

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